Knowing the Ropes: A Sailor's Guide to Selecting, Rigging, and Handling Lines Abroad

Knowing the Ropes provides a lot of information in a concise and easy to read format. Roger Taylor's descriptions are clear and easy for the novice to understand, and the illustrations are top notch, providing all the information you need without confusing and unneeded detail. Rather than bombard you with all the knots possible, the book introduces a few, and then builds on them using practical examples. There's quite a bit on rigging, including rigging small craft, and the almost forgotten gaff rig (chapter 15.) While not as comprehensive, this book compares well to books such as The Rigger's Apprentice at about half the cost.